Kirron Kher: 'Don't call me mom!'

Kirron Kher almost suddenly burst into the mainstream Hindi cinema scene about a decade ago or so. She confesses that it was her role in Devdas that changed things for her. And she isn't entirely wrong. Who had even thought of casting Kirron Kher in a mother's role before Sanjay Leela Bhansali?

Yes, there was that soap opera called Kanyadan. But that was the small screen. Kirron Kher has come a long way since then. And today, she refuses to be called her characters as 'mother roles'. "You (media) have stereotyped us!" she exclaims turning the tables on us, "Would you ask Katrina Kaif whose daughter she is playing?"

One reminds her that despite her roles in films like Bariwali and Sardari Begum the ones we remember are her characters in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and that song in Devdas. "Yes!" she nods a little sadly "They don't make too many films like that."

But Kirron Kher evidently enjoys being in the mainstream Hindi film industry. And she tells us just why. Excerpts from an interview:

Now with Sikandar being in the showbiz, you are a star mom in the true sense, isn't it?

(Twitches her nose and shakes her head furiously) No!

So you don't think Sikandar is a star…?

(Tries to gulp the sandwich before being misquoted) Oh no! For me he is a star. But I don't quite like being called a 'star mom'. Would you ask Katrina Kaif whose daughter she is playing? I think the media has to stop giving in to such stereotypes.

Yeah but it's not like we have you in say a Bariwali or Sardari Begum recently. For most of us your memorable roles have been as the protagonist's mother!

I agree but they don't make too many films like that anymore. These days comedies like Bheja Fry have taken its place. And frankly, I wouldn't mind doing a Bheja Fry or even Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na for that matter. [Kirron in KJo's next ]